Tom Mitchell new Brownlow favourite as Nat Fyfe suspended

Hawthorn midfielder Tom Mitchell has regained favouritism for this year’s Brownlow Medal after Nat Fyfe was suspended.

Nat Fyfe makes high contact with Collingwood’s Levi Greenwood on Sunday. Picture: Getty Images

Hawthorn midfielder Tom Mitchell has regained favouritism for this year’s Brownlow Medal after Nat Fyfe was controversially suspended for an indiscretion on Sunday.

Fremantle clearly believe the penalty handed to their captain for elbowing Levi Greenwood in the head was incorrect, wasting no time to declare they would challenge the decision at a tribunal hearing tonight.

But the decision by match review officer Michael Christian to oust the 2015 Brownlow medallist from contention, pending tonight’s appeal, caused a drastic reshuffle in markets.

Mitchell, a prolific possession winner who has become a premier midfielder, was anointed a $2.45 favourite for the medal awarded in late September.

Should the runner-up in last year’s medal, who is averaging 34 possessions a game in 2018, continue his strong form, he will be hard to beat.

Mitchell escaped suspension when fined for elbowing North Melbourne ruckman Todd Goldstein in the head behind play in round five.

The 25-year-old, who kicked two goals in the Hawks’ narrow win against Port Adelaide on Saturday, was listed at $5 by the TAB before Fyfe’s misfortune and at $13 at the start of the season.

Melbourne ruckman Max Gawn is listed as second favourite for the Brownlow ahead of Bulldog Jackson Macrae and last year’s winner, Dustin Martin.

Christian said that in suspending Fyfe, who was due to play his 150th game this weekend when Fremantle host Adelaide, he took into account his decision to raise his elbow before making contact with Greenwood.

“A raised forearm or elbow is usually conclusive that it is intentional,” Christian said.

“The circumstances around this (are) the ball goes over Nat’s head, he runs at Greenwood and jumps off the ground and raises his forearm and makes forceful contact to Levi’s head.”

The Dockers are expected to argue their skipper’s act was careless and not intentional.

If successful, this would reduce the ban to a fine and enable Fyfe to regain his eligibility for the Brownlow Medal.

The incident involving Fyfe was not the only contentious decision confronting Christian.

Champion Richmond defender Alex Rance was criticised by some of the game’s greatest players after exaggerating contact to his back to win a free kick on the weekend.

Rance dived “like Superman”, North Melbourne great Wayne Carey declared, when Bomber Shaun McKernan made slight contact to his back in the Dream Time clash at the MCG.

Christian agreed with the assessment, fining the four-time All Australian $1500 for a first offence for staging, though the penalty will be reduced to $1000 should Rance plead guilty.

“In this particular case, there was only minimal contact by McKernan and Alex excessively exaggerated that contact,” Christian said.

The 2017 All Australian captain received some criticism for an exaggerated reaction to a shove from Lance Franklin in round 13.

But the criticism of Rance and subsequent fine angered fellow Richmond greats.

Matthew Richardson tweeted: “The vitriol on Rance free is completely over the top. Yeah he exaggerated the push. I did it when I played and 95% of players have added some mayo to draw a free in their careers. Get over it. #champion.”

Kevin Bartlett pondered how Rance could be fined when the officiating umpire awarded him a free kick for being pushed in the back by McKernan.

“If Alex Rance actually got a push in the back, and it was a free kick, the fact that he over exaggerated, he shouldn’t get fined $1000 for that,” Bartlett said.

“He might get laughed at by the fans and that for overacting and being theatrical, but if he got pushed in the back, if it’s a free kick, he shouldn’t get a $1000 fine.”

North Melbourne midfielder Jy Simpkin will miss Saturday’s crucial game against the Cats after receiving a two-week ban for a bump that concussed Lions opponent Allen Christensen.

Tom Rockliff, Touk Miller and Darcy Tucker were all handed fines for reckless umpire contact.

Hawthorn’s Shaun Burgoyne, Port Adelaide’s Sam Powell-Pepper, Sun David Swallow, Lion Mitch Robinson and Kangaroo Scott Thompson also received fines for indiscretions.